Three friends save California cinema with successful rally

As the economy has slowly been working its way back to a full recovery, many businesses have struggled to keep profits steady. Additionally, with consumer needs changing as technology continues to evolve, companies often need to make adjustments in their daily operations.

One California theater is the perfect example of such struggles. The Met Cinema, located in Oakhurst, continued to run print films - along with hundreds of other venues across the country. However, many of those companies have been forced to close over the years, as the trend has switched to theaters using digital distribution.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Met's landlord shut down the operation in November, giving it a December 31 deadline. Enter James Nelson, Matt Sconce and Keith Walker, three childhood friends who created a plan to save the theater.

The trio's idea was to offer a subscription-based theater plan. They calculated that if 3,000 people - 15 percent of the mountain communities - signed up, the cinema could be saved. For $19.95 per month, a member would be able to see each movie one time and buy individual tickets for friends.

The Fresno Bee reported in a January 1 article that the plan was a success - the 3,000th subscription was recorded at 8:20 p.m. on New Year's Eve. The Met Cinema is scheduled to reopen in the beginning of February.

"We never believed it could fail," Sconce told the Bee. "We knew it would happen. We've all been going to this theater since we were kids. This theater has to be around for our kids, too."

Not all California businesses will be lucky enough to have devoted customers working in their favor. It's important for company decision-makers to try and account for as many situations as possible. Working with a firm specializing in commercial property insurance can help an organization find a comprehensive California business insurance policy that caters to its needs.